Sportscar driver, manufacturer and World Class yachtsman. Briggs Swift Cunningham Jr was born into a rich family in Cincinatti, Ohio. From the 1940s until the mid-1960s, he was a well-known sportscar racer on the West Coast. He created a manufacturing company building at the time the fastest American-made sportscars and had a burning ambition to eventually win the prestigious Le Mans 24hr Race in France. Whilst his cars such as the C-1 and the C-4R, powered by Cadillac engines, were quick, he failed to succeed in his aim. His cars pioneered the American racing colours of white with broad blue stripes. In 1958 he skippered the American entry "Columbia" in the Americas Cup again a British boat and won. After he retired from racing he created the Cunningham Automotive Museum in Costa Mesa, California, but the museum closed in 1985 when he sold the collection to his lifelong friend Miles Collier, and the collection was moved to Florida. He died at his home in Las Vegas from complications of Alzheimer's Disease. It is believed he was cremated at Pacific View Memorial Park, Newport Beach, CA.
Sportscar driver, manufacturer and World Class yachtsman. Briggs Swift Cunningham Jr was born into a rich family in Cincinatti, Ohio. From the 1940s until the mid-1960s, he was a well-known sportscar racer on the West Coast. He created a manufacturing company building at the time the fastest American-made sportscars and had a burning ambition to eventually win the prestigious Le Mans 24hr Race in France. Whilst his cars such as the C-1 and the C-4R, powered by Cadillac engines, were quick, he failed to succeed in his aim. His cars pioneered the American racing colours of white with broad blue stripes. In 1958 he skippered the American entry "Columbia" in the Americas Cup again a British boat and won. After he retired from racing he created the Cunningham Automotive Museum in Costa Mesa, California, but the museum closed in 1985 when he sold the collection to his lifelong friend Miles Collier, and the collection was moved to Florida. He died at his home in Las Vegas from complications of Alzheimer's Disease. It is believed he was cremated at Pacific View Memorial Park, Newport Beach, CA.
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